Oil engine atomizer



June 4, 1935. J. L. TAYLOR 2,003,814

OIL ENGINE ATOMIZER Filed Nov. '9, 1951 JNVENTDH:

" Patented June 4, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF ICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to atomizers, and particularly to those of the type applicable to internal combustion engines of the Diesel type.

An object of the invention is to generally improve the construction and operation of devices of this class.

A further object is to provide an atomizer which will permit ready variation of the 'rate of injection of fuel during any one injection period without sacrificing the quality, or fineness of injection during either low or high rates of injection.

A further object is to provide such an atomizer which will disperse the fuel so as to reach substantially all parts of an air charge.

A further object is to provide such an atomizer which will cause an increase in the pressure, and accordingly the penetrating power of the fuel as the volume of the injection increases, and portions of the air charge near the nozzle are consumed.

Further objects are to provide the following:

Such an atomizer in which the fuel is injected from a plurality of successively opening, individually controlled jets; valve means for individually controlling the jets; means for providing a body of fluid under pressure ready to supply said jets the instant they are open; and various mechanical expedients adapted to facilitate the manufacture, and insure the successful operation of suchan atomizer. I

Other objects and advantages will be noted from the following specification and accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of an atomizer assembly attached to an engine block, parts being broken away to disclose the interior thereof.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 1 showing the device with certain elements removed.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line [-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail of a coupling spider.

Fig. 6 is a diagram of the fuel spray obtained with the atomizer.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section of a modification.

Like characters of reference apply to the same parts throughout the drawing and specification.

Referring to the drawing, B is the body portion of an injector assembly having a cylindrical extension B the body being attached to an eng around the circular edge of the cap N.

gine block E 'by suitable bolts A. The extension in the present instance terminates in a threaded niple B for receiving a nomle cap N having a. spray-nozzle portion N that projects into the cylinder E' of the engine E. Axially aligned with 1.

the parts .3 and N is an upwardly extending spring housing H, which is preferably screwed into a tapped bore B locatedv medially in the upper face of the body B. The body is bored laterally and substantially vertically, as shown particularly 10 in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, to provide a conduit D. A bleeder conduit F is also laterally bored to com-. municate with a bore B for draining off oil leak- 1 age. The substantially vertical portion of the conduit D leads downwardly to communicate with 15 a chamber C formed in the nipple B The joint between extension B and cap N, about the said chamber, is hermetically sealed by an annular gasket G which is forced into concentric grooves 20 Bore B is restricted and deepened at B to form a continuation of the housing H for accommodating a spring S. Between the bottom of B and the gasket G a sleeve T serves as a bushing for a valve rod R, both being suitably 5 hardened if desired, the upper terminus of said rod carrying a seat h which presents a shoulder opposed to the spring. The fit between the sleeve T and rod R is one of precision exactness, and these elements are preferably of special ma- 30 terial for insuring minimum wear between the sleeve and rod, and to minimize the passage of fluid around the rod. The'chamber Cextends into the nozzle cap N ashortdistance towhere same is narrowed to provide an axial bore" N ,-35

wherein is slidably fitted an open ended tubulari: piston P substantially alignedwith the valve rod R. The boreN iscounterbored at-N in order to facilitate the proper fitting and operation of the piston. Thecounte'rbore alsopro- 40 vides a recess into which foreign matter that might otherwise tend to build up under the piston and thereby prevent free reciprocation thereof, may accumulate without interfering with the operation of the parts. 45

The rod R and piston P may be one piece as far as the principle of operation is concerned, but in view of the fact'that the atomizer comprises two parts, body and cap, the precise alignment of bores B and N necessary to permit free movement of such a single. piece would be dimcult to obtain in most instances. In order to permit slight misalignment of the bores without interfering with such free movement, the use of 55 two parts, R and P is preferred, and these two are coupled in a novel manner in a chamber C wherein is located a coupling U which is formed to fit under the respective heads R' and P of the aforesaid rod and piston members. This method of coupling will compensate forunavoidable inaccuracies in alignment of the above mentioned bores.

Coupling -U' comprises a plurality of segments substantially defining a cylinder and having longitudinal grooves U in the external faces thereof that provide passages through which the fluid, with which the chamber C is charged, will find its way into the hollow piston P by means of ports t disposed in the piston so as to be always in communication with the aforesaid chamber C. Coupling U might serve equally well as a coupling for uniting a plurality of elements irrespective of the form of either upper portion R, or lower portion P, which latter could be, for example, a conically ended needle-valve stem, or

' other similarly functioning means.

The spray-nozzle N is preferably cylindrical in form and has its periphery pierced by a series of substantially radiallydirected jets n. These jets preferably although not necessarily vary in diameter to effect a predetermined result, namely that the first jet uncovered is of smaller bore than the next succeeding jet. The bores of the jets preferably increase in diameter that the volume of fuel admitted through each jet will be'approximately the same as that admitted through each of the others for the length of time each jet is uncovered, or in other words, the later opening jets are enough larger so that after opening they will inject as much fuel as those which opened earlier before all are cut off, and accordingly enough to utilize all the combustion air in the vicinity of each jet.

In the manner just set forth, the injection volumes from the separate jets will be progressively increased during any injection period in accordance with the increasing volume of the combustion chamber of the engine, so that a constant and relatively uniform pressure is maintained during the fuel injection and combustion period. This gradual increasing of the injection as combustion proceeds serves to expand the air charge in the combustion chamber at a rate such as to avoid a'drop in pressure below that'obtaining at the instant of the initiation of injection, until the point is reached. where the injection is cut off, and the heated charge allowed to expand without further injection, with a drop of pressure down toexhaust pressure.

This increase in injection volume also avoids the injection of an excessive amount of fuel during the early part of -the combustion period, be-' fore the combustion chamber has begun to expand rapidly enough to accommodate the expanding air charge, and therefore avoids the common excessive rise in pressure experienced at this point, causing the well-known knock, or "ping. Engines are customarily designed with over-sized bearings, crank-shafts, etc., in the attempt to avoid damage from the overload imposed by this eifect, but with a type of injection such as that disclosed, which positively and dependably avoids'such excessive pressures, obviously, such parts may be proportioned correctly for their normal loads, and a large amount of extra weight, expense, and friction avoided.

To facilitate the complete combustion of the fuel, each jet will be, insofar as possible, opposite to the jet last uncovered. The aforesaid jets countersinks It so as to reduce friction of the fluid in the orifices as much as possible, and get the best possible penetration for any given injection pressure. angles such that each jet, if projected, will intersect a circle b, Fig. 6, on the piston at c, when the piston is at the top of its stroke, but in practice the jets are proportioned so as not to penetrate the air charge far enough to impinge upon the piston head or other parts of the engine. I

Fuel supplied through the conduit D by any well-known variable pump arrangement will fill the chamber C, and the hollow piston P, the volume supplied determining the amount of movement of the parts P, U, R, and the number of jets n uncovered. The fuel-pressure necessary to raise the piston to uncover the lowest jet will be sufficient to cause the spray discharged from this jet to penetrate the charge in the combus tion chamber a sufiicient distance to secure complete combustion. The delivery of an increased fuel volume into bore N raises the piston and rod elements, thereby causing the spring 3 to exert a greater resistance and requiring a greater fluid pressure for operating it, and this causes an increased penetration of the charge by the jets under heavier loads when it is necessary to burn more fuel and reach still more of the air charge. Both the number of jets in operation during any single cycle, the aggregate amount of fuel delivered, and also the length, or degree of penetration of the jets, are therefore increased as more fuel is required by the engine.

Referring to Fig. 6, the lowest one of the Jets 1:, indicated in Fig. 6 as n, will preferably be the first jet to be uncovered when piston P rises. Next in order will be the Jet 11, then u, 11 1:, etc. These jets will lie in separate planes transverse to the axis of the nozzle.

The modification of Fig. 7 is in substantially all respects similar to that described above, fuel in the bore 12. of the nozzle 1|." spraying through jets 11*", which in this case are inclined with relation to the radii of the nozzle so as to tend to induce rotation of the charge about the nozzle as the fuel is injected, and thereby bring a large percentage of the air charge into contact with the fuel during the combustion period.

The above being a complete description of typical embodiments of the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an atomizer for an oil engine the combination of a body member having an extension The jets are formed at individual terminating in a substantially cylindrical spraying head projecting into an engine combustion chamber, said body member having a bore therein extending into said extension and spraying head, a fluid supply passage leading into said bore,

a piston valve slidable in said bore and having a passage therethrough freely communicating through said bore with said fiuid supply passage,

and a plurality of spraying orifices in the cylinorifices immediately upon opening thereof and 7 until the instant of closing thereof.

2. In an atomizer for an oil engine the eombibeing supplied witlifiuid when uncovered through nation of a body member having an extension terminating in a substantially cylindrical spraying head arranged to project into an engine cylinder, said body member being provided with a bore extending into saidextension and spraying head, a fluid supply passage leading into said bore, a piston valve slidable in said bore and having a passage therethrough communicating through said bore with said fluid supp y passage, a surface on said piston valve exposed to the pressure of fluid in said passage and through which said pressure may tend to move said valve axially in one direction, a resilient member in said body wall of said spraying head and intersecting the bore thereof in position to be covered and uncovered by said valve, and directed transversely of said engine cylinder, said orifices being supplied with fluid when uncovered through said fluid supply passage, said bore, and said passage in said piston valve, whereby full fluid pressure is made available directly at said orifices immediately upon opening thereof, and whereby substantially no fluid is available to dribble from said orifices after closing thereof by said valve.

3. In an atomizer for an oil engine the combination of a body member having an extension terminating in a spraying head projecting into an engine cylinder, said body member being provided with a bore extending into said extension and spraying head, a fluid supply passage leading into said bore, a piston valve slidable in said bore and having a passage therethrough communicating through said bore with said fluid supply passage, a surface on said piston valve exposed to the pressure of fluid in said passage and through the medium of which said pressure may tend to move said valve axially in one direction, a resilient member in said body portion engaging a portion of said valve and operative to on pose the pressure of said fluid, a plurality of spraying orifices in said spraying head intersecting said bore in position to be covered and uncovered by sliding movement of said valve, said orifices being directed transversely of said cylinder and supplied with fluid when' uncovered through said passage in said piston, said orifices being peripherally spaced from each other about said head and spaced from each other axially of said bore so as to be uncovered in predetermined order upon movement of said piston valve by said fluid pressure against the resistance of said resilient member, the disposition of said orifices intersecting'said bore permitting full fluid pressure therein immediately upon uncovering thereof by said valve and preventing persistance of pressure at said orifices after covering thereof by said valve.

4. In an atomizer for an oil engine the combi-'- nation of a body member having an. extension terminating in a spraying head arranged to project into an engine cylinder, said body member having a bore therein extending into said extension and spraying head, a fluid supply passage leading into said bore, a piston valve slidable in said bore and having a passage therethrough freely communicating through said bore with said fluid supply passage, a plurality of spraying orifices peripherally dispersed about said spraying head, and intersecting said bore to be cov- .ered and successively uncovered by said valve upon said sliding movement thereof, said orifices said passage in said valve, and spaced from each other axially of said bore so that every second orifice to be uncovered is substantially diametrically opposite the orifice-next previously uncov- 6 ered by said valve. I

5. In an atomizer for an oil engine the combination of a body member having an extension terminating in a spraying head, said body member having a bore therein extending into said ex- 1 tension and spraying head, a fluid supply passage leading into said bore, a piston valve slidable in said bore and having a passage therethrough free ly communicating through said bow with said fluid supply passage, a plurality of spraying ori- 15 fices peripherally spaced about said spraying head and intersecting said bore, in position to be covered and successively uncovered by said valve upon sliding movement thereof, said orifices being supplied with fluid when uncovered through said passage in said piston valve, and so spaced axially of said valve that each successive orifice to be opened by progressive movement of said valve will be removed as far as possible from the aggregate of orifices already open whereby to provide an arrangement of sprays about said spraying head in various positions of said valve as nearly symmetrical as 'possible consistent with the number of orifices uncovered by said valve in such positions.

6. In an atomizer for axial disposition in an oil engine cylinder the combination of a body member having an extension terminating in a spraying head projecting into said cylinder, said body member having a bore therein extending into said extension and spraying head, a fluid supply passage leading into said bore, a piston valve slidable in said bore and having a passage therethrough freely communicating through said bore with said fluid supply passage, a plurality of spraying orifices peripherally distributed about said spraying head, and directed at angles to the radii of said cylinder to induce rotation of the combustible contents of said cylinder upon spraying of fluid from said orifices, said orifices intersecting said bore in position to be covered and successively uncovered by said valve, said orifices being supplied with fluid when uncovered through said passage in said piston valve, and so spaced from each other axially of said valve that each successively opened orifice will be removed as far as possible from those already open whereby to provide an arrangement of sprays in said cylinder in various positions of said valve to cover as uniformly as possible the combustion space within said cylinder, consistent with the number of orifices uncovered by said valve in such positions.

7. In an atomizer for an oil engine the combination of a body member arranged for axial disposition in the cylinder head of said engine and having a hollow, substantially cylindrical head portion extending into the cylinder space, a plurality of fluid spraying orifices extending through the cylindrical walls of said head, peripherally distributed thereabout, directed transversely of the axis of said cylinder, and spaced from each other axially of said cylindrical head portion, a valve element slidable in said head portion and movable into position to directly cover said fluid spraying orifices, the axial spacing of said orifices permitting progressive sliding movement of said valve element to uncover said orifices successively, means for so moving said valve element, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to the interior of said head portion.

8. In an atomizer for an oil engine the combiand. having a hollow, substantially cylindrical head portion extending into a cylinder space, a

plurality of fluid spraying orifices extending through the cylindrical walls of said head, peripherally spaced from each other and directed transversely oi! the axis of said cylinder space, a valve element slidable in said head portion and having an edge portion arranged to directly cover said orifices upon movement of said valve element into certain positions, said orifices and said edge portion being relatively spaced, axially of said head portion to cause said edge portion to uncover said orifices successively upon axial movement of said valve element, means for so moving said valve element, and means for supplying the interior of said head portion with fluid under pressure. p

9, In an atomizeri'or an oil engine the combination 01' a bodymember arranged for axial disposition in the cylinder head of said engine and having a hollow, substantially cylindrical atomizer head portion extending into the cylinder space, a plurality of fluid-spraying orifices extending through the cylindrical walls of said atomizer head, peripherally distributed thereabout, directed transversely oi the axis 01' said cylinder, but inclined in a direction away from said cylinder' head, and spaced from each other axially of said atomizer head portion, said oriflcesbeing inclined at various angles in accordance with their axial spacing such that their projected axes intersect acircledrawnabdut-lhe axisoi' said engine cylinder as a center and ins plane perpendicular to said axis, a'valve element slidable in said atomizer head portionand mob able into position to cover said fluid 89mins orifices, the axial spacing of said orificea'peb mitting progressive sliding movement or said valve element to uncover said orifices successively, means for so moving said valve element, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to the interior 01. said head portion.

10. In an atomizer for an oil engine the combination of a body member arranged for proiec+ tion into the cylinder space of an engine and having a hollow, substantially cylindrical head portion extending into the cylinder space, a plu= rality of fluid spraying orifices extending through the cylindrical walls of said head, peripherally distributed thereabout, directed transversely d the axis of said cylinder, and spaced from each other axially of said cylindrical head portion, a valve element slidable in said head portion and movable into position to directly cover said fluid spraying orifices, the axial spacing 01' said orifices permitting progressive sliding movement 0! said valve element to uncover said orifices suc- 1 cessively, resilient means arranged to oppose such movement, a fluid pressure receiving suri'ace on said valve, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to the interior 01' said portion and to said suri'ace "to move said valve in opposition'to said resilient means.

JOHN mouaan'rarma. 1 

